Obe-cel is a personalised CAR-T cell therapy that uses your own modified immune cells to find and destroy cancer cells. At The London Clinic, it is offered to adults with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) that has come back or has not responded to previous treatment.
Obecabtagene autoleucel (obe-cel) for B-cell
Also known as: Aucatzyl® (manufactured by Autolus), obe-cel, CD19 CAR-T cell therapy
Specialist CAR-T expertise
Delivered by an experienced haematology team, with on-site apheresis, transplant support and rapid access to intensive care if needed
A highly personalised therapy
Your own T cells are collected, genetically modified to target leukaemia, and returned to you in carefully measured doses
What is it for?
Treating relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) in adult patients
What is obe-cel?
Obe-cel is a CD19-directed CAR-T cell therapy. CAR-T treatments work by taking your own T cells – a type of white blood cell – and reprogramming them in a specialist laboratory to recognise and attack cancer cells. The modified cells are then returned to your body through an infusion. You first receive several days of preparation chemotherapy to get you ready to accept the modified calls and remain an in-patient being watched closely for the next few weeks
What makes obe-cel different from earlier CAR-T therapies is the way it’s been engineered. It’s designed to enhance the interaction between your T cells and cancer cells, while maintaining a lower activation profile that helps reduce the severity of certain side effects. It’s also given through fractionated dosing – smaller doses delivered over several days rather than a single infusion – which allows your clinical team to monitor your response carefully and manage any side effects as early as possible.
Why might I need this treatment?
Obe-cel may be an option for you if you are an adult (26 or older) with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia that has either come back after treatment (relapsed) or not responded to previous therapies (refractory). Your haematology team will assess whether it is the right option for you, based on your diagnosis, past treatments and overall health.
You may be considered for obe-cel if:
- You are 26 or older with B-cell precursor ALL
- Your leukaemia has relapsed or not responded to standard treatment
- You are fit enough for CAR-T therapy following a full clinical assessment
- You have adequate organ function and no active uncontrolled infection
Obe-cel is not suitable for everyone. It may not be recommended if you have significant uncontrolled health conditions, active infections, or inadequate organ function. Live virus vaccines must also be avoided from at least six weeks before lymphodepleting chemotherapy, throughout your treatment, and until your immune system has recovered.
How effective is obe-cel?
Obe-cel has shown strong results in clinical studies for relapsed and refractory B-ALL. In the pivotal FELIX trial, approximately 77% of patients achieved complete remission – meaning no detectable disease was found following treatment. Follow-up data continues to show encouraging durability of response.
- High complete remission rates reported in clinical studies (around 75% or more) with eradication of disease in 96% of responders
- Encouraging durability of response in long-term follow-up data
- Potential for lasting disease control
- A meaningful option for patients who have limited alternatives
What to expect before, during and after treatment
You’ll have a full consultation with our haematology team to review your diagnosis, prior treatments and current disease status. We’ll carry out blood tests, a bone marrow assessment, imaging where needed, infectious disease screening, organ function tests and a neurological baseline check. Together, we’ll discuss the risks, benefits and what to expect throughout your treatment.
You may need bridging therapy to keep your disease under control while your cells are being manufactured. A few days before your infusion, you’ll have lymphodepleting chemotherapy to prepare your body to receive the modified cells. You’ll also need to plan for an extended inpatient stay, and to remain close to the hospital for a period after discharge.
Obe-cel treatment takes place over several weeks. It begins with apheresis, where your T cells are collected and sent off-site to be genetically modified – and if needed, bridging therapy may be used in the meantime to keep your disease under control. A few days before your infusion, you’ll have lymphodepleting chemotherapy to prepare your body to receive the cells, which are then returned to you in fractionated doses over several days. Depending on the dose, this may be given through an IV drip or as a small-volume injection. The infusion itself is not painful, and remain in hospital for around 30 days afterwards for close monitoring.
You’ll be monitored closely for early side effects throughout your inpatient stay, with specialist nursing and consultant review at every step, and immediate access to our intensive care unit if needed. Close observation continues for the first 2–4 weeks, and once you’re discharged, most patients gradually return to their usual activities – supported by long-term follow-up to assess your response to treatment and keep an eye on your overall health.
Possible risks and side effects
CAR-T therapies are powerful treatments and can cause significant side effects, which is why all care is delivered in a fully monitored inpatient setting.
Common side effects can include:
- Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) – a reaction caused by the activated immune cells
- Neurological toxicity (also known as ICANS)
- Increased risk of infection due to a temporarily weakened immune system
- Low blood counts
- Fatigue, fever and short-term flu-like symptoms
The infusion itself is not painful, but you may experience fever, tiredness or neurological symptoms during your recovery. Obe-cel is designed with a potentially lower severity profile compared to other CAR-T therapies, and its fractionated dosing approach allows our team to spot and manage side effects early.
How we manage risks:
- Continuous inpatient monitoring throughout your stay
- Specialist CAR-T trained nursing and medical teams
- Established treatment protocols based on best practice
- Immediate access to our on-site intensive care unit if needed
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Obe-cel is given in smaller, stepwise doses rather than a single infusion. This fractionated approach is designed to help manage side effects and allow your team to respond quickly to any early signs of complications.
The full treatment journey typically takes several weeks from cell collection through to your final infusion. You should plan for around 30 days as an inpatient, to receive induction chemotherapy to prepare you to accept the cells, plus follow-up afterwards.
Yes – inpatient monitoring is required after treatment so we can watch carefully for any side effects and act quickly if needed.
The most common side effects include fever, fatigue and neurological symptoms, all of which are closely monitored and treated by your specialist team.
Yes. Depending on your situation, alternatives may include chemotherapy, stem cell transplant or other immunotherapies such as bispecific antibodies. Your consultant will talk you through all available options.
Why choose London Haematology for obe-cel?
London Haematology, part of The London Clinic, is one of the few private hospitals in the UK with the integrated expertise and infrastructure to deliver advanced cell therapies like obe-cel safely.
- Experienced team delivering CAR-T therapies
- Integrated haematology, transplant and intensive care support under one roof
- On-site apheresis and a specialist cell therapy laboratory
- Established obe-cel pathways alongside leading NHS partners (e.g. Barts)
- Robust governance and safety oversight for advanced therapies
- Central London location with access to advanced diagnostics
Consultants
Obe-cel at The London Clinic is delivered by a specialist haematology and cell therapy team, with experience in advanced therapies including CAR-T and stem cell transplantation. You will be cared for by clinicians who are leaders in their field, working alongside specialist nursing teams trained in the management of CAR-T therapies.
We offer Fixed Price Packages
Where possible, we’ll provide a fixed-price package for your hospital care. This covers your hospital stay, nursing, and use of our facilities, giving you a clear guide to what those costs will be.
- Pre-op assessment
- Hospital stay, nursing care and meals
- Tests, scans and physio during your stay
- Take-home medication (up to 5 days)
- Post-op follow-up appointments
- Standard equipment or prosthesis (if needed)
- Unplanned extended stay or ITU (if clinically required)
- Initial consultation and any tests done during it
- Consultant and anaesthetist fees (quoted separately)
- Physio or therapy before or after your stay
- Diagnostics before admission (unless agreed in your plan)
- Specialist medication beyond 5 days
- Ambulance transport or bespoke prosthetics
Your consultant’s fees are quoted separately and shared directly by their office after your consultation. These professional fees cover the time, expertise, and care provided by your consultant before, during, and after your treatment. See our full terms and conditions
CAR-T treatment represent a revolution in the treatment of relapsed ALL where initial treatments have failed and ALL is the first disease that was treated with CAR-T. Obe-cel is a new generation of CAR-T cells designed to increase efficacy, but also to decrease toxicity of this approach. We are delighted that at The London Clinic we have access to this safer and potentially life-saving treatment approach for B-ALL.John Gribben, Professor and Consultant Haemato-Oncologist
Why choose The London Clinic?
Trusted for over 90 years, The London Clinic is an independent charitable hospital that reinvests into care, research, and support for those who can’t easily access private treatment.
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0% Finance Options
We’ve teamed up with Chrysalis to offer you funding options that allow you to spread the cost of your treatment.
If you choose to pay for your treatment at The London Clinic over 12 months, you can make use of a great 0% interest option and pay nothing extra. Or you can choose to pay over two to five years at 14.9% APR.
Trustees of the London Clinic Ltd trading as The London Clinic is an Appointed Representative of Chrysalis Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The London Clinic is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Chrysalis Finance Limited may not be so authorised and regulated. Cancer treatments or transplants aren’t covered by finance packages. Finance options are only available for UK patients.